As to the framework, that was once to have been the often-told story of a King’s daughter given to whatever man can “knock three laughs out of her.”  As well as I remember the first was to have been when the eggs were broken, and another when she laughed with the joy of happy love.  But the third was the stumbling-block.  It was necessary the ears of the Abbey audience should be tickled at the same time as those of the Princess, and old-time jests like those of Sir Dinadin of the Round Table seem but dull to ears of to-day.  So I called to my help the Dragon that has given his opportunity to so many a hero from Perseus in the Greek Stories to Shawneen in those of Kiltartan.  And he did not sulk or fail me, for after one of the first performances the producer wrote:  “I wish you had seen the play last night when a big Northern in the front of the stalls was overcome with helpless laughter, first by Sibby and then by the Dragon.  He sat there long after the curtain fell, unable to move and wiping the tears from his eyes; the audiences stopped going out and stood and laughed at him.”  And even a Dragon may think it a feather in his cap to have made Ulster laugh.

A.G.

Coole, February, 1920.

ORIGINAL CAST

“The Dragon " was first produced at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on 21st April, 1919, with the following cast: 

The King BARRY FITZGERALD

The Queen MARY SHERIDAN

The Princess Nuala EITHNE MAGEE

The Dall Glic (The Blind Wise Man) PETER NOLAN

The Nurse MAUREEN DELANY

The Prince of the Marshes J. HUGH NAGLE

Manus—­King of Sorcha ARTHUR SHIELDS

Fintan—­The Astrologer F.J.  MACCORMICK

Taig FLORENCE MARKS

The Dragon SEAGHAN BARLOW

The Porter STEPHEN CASEY

The Gatekeeper HUBERT M’GUIRE

Two Aunts of the Prince of the Marshes {ESME WARD
                                       {DYMPHNA DALY

ARISTOTLE’S BELLOWS

PERSONS

The Mother.

Celia (HER DAUGHTER).

Conan (HER STEPSON).

Timothy (HER SERVING MAN).

Rock (A NEIGHBOUR).

Flannery (HIS HERD).

Two Cats.

ACT I

ACT I

Scene:  A Room in an old half-ruined castle.

Mother:  Look out the door, Celia, and see is your uncle coming.

Celia:  (Who is lying on the ground, a bunch of ribbons in her hand, and playing with a pigeon, looks towards door without getting up.) I see no sign of him.

Mother:  What time were you telling me it was a while ago?

Celia:  It is not five minutes hardly since I was telling you it was ten o’clock by the sun.